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Gang Activity and Prevalence

Gang members commit a higher percentage of crime than non-gang members.[1] More than half of state and local law enforcement agencies reported gang activity in their jurisdictions in 2008.[2] Both law enforcement reports and self-reported data indicate that gangs commit more than three-quarters of crime in many communities.[3]

Longitudinal studies (i.e., research that follows a subject for many years) highlight the long-term negative consequences of gang membership even when that membership lasts for as little as one year during adolescence. For example, gang members are more likely to drop out of school, become pregnant during adolescence or have unstable employment.[4]